Ryan Howard drives in four runs for Phillies

(7/31/15) Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard drove in four runs in Friday's loss to Atlanta.

Howard went 2 for 3 with a double, two runs scored and two walks. He recorded four RBI for the first time since August 7 of last year.

Howard hit in his sixth straight game. He's batting .409 during the streak.

Phillies 1B Ryan Howard homers, drives in three

by Elliott Smith | Staff Writer

(7/25/15) Phillies slugger Ryan Howard delivered all the offense Cole Hamels and the Phillies would need Saturday, with his three-run homer providing the punch in Hamels' 5-0 no-hitter.

Howard, who was 2-for-4 on the day, got Philadelphia on the board with a three-run blast to center off Cubs starter Jake Arrieta. His 17th homer of the season gave him 51 RBIs on the year. He is hitting .223 in 89 games.

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2014 summary: Staying off the surgeon's table and away from the disabled list represented a victory of sorts for Ryan Howard, but 2014 was still a frustrating season for the Phillies' veteran first baseman. With just 23 homers over a full season, Howard didn't hit with his customary power, and a .223 batting average and 65 runs scored were further signs of his lagging production. In addition to his on-the-field troubles, Howard was strained by an ongoing legal battle with his family.

Playing time status: Howard has been the target of frequent trade rumors, but should he remain with the Phillies, it is likely that he will sit against left-handed starting pitchers, even though he hit southpaws better than he hit righties last season.

2015 outlook: Howard could hang on as a top 20 first baseman, and that gives him some late-round value in standard mixed Rotisserie leagues as a potential utility or CI option. In points leagues, Howard no longer has the power or playing time to offset a high strikeout total, so he can be saved for mixed league formats with 14 teams or more.
(Updated 12/21/14)